Somebody to Love
by FantasticallyFanatical
Summary: It's the summer holidays before the second year at Britannia High begins, but friendships are gradually drifting apart. Can the BH Gang stay together? A number of pairings along the way with a slight AU touch to it.
1. Somebody to Love

Title: Somebody to Love  
Rating: T (for possible language in later chapters)  
Paring(s): Claudine/Danny (for this chapter anyway)  
Disclaimer: I own nothing (sob, sob)  
Summary: It's the summer before the BH students go back for the second year, but some of them are drifiting apart. Can they become the BH Gang again?  
A/N : Un-beta'd so all mistakes are mine, and advance apologies for any. Otherwise, enjoy :)

* * *

It had been 3 weeks since Britannia High had closed for the summer, and Claudine had ventured out to the town for the first time. Sunglasses covering her eyes and a pink and white checked shirt dress over black leggings, Claudine for once wanted fade into the background. Be one of the crowd. It seemed, however, that someone had other ideas.

"Claudine! Hey, Claudine!" Claudine turned to see Danny running up towards her, waving manically and grinning profusely.

"Hello," Claudine mumbled quietly, unable to think of anything else to say. She pushed her sunglasses further towards her face, shifting her feet uncomfortably.

"Haven't seen you in a while," Danny commented, trying to read the indecipherable look upon Claudine's face. "Not that there's exactly much to see," he added, gesturing to her petite body.

"Thanks," Claudine smiled, leaving Danny unsure of how to take her.

"Honestly, you girls. I swear I will never understand you," Danny grinned, shrugging his shoulders as he spoke.

"No, probably not," Claudine mused, smiling again as Danny continued to watch her. A few minutes passed with Claudine waiting anxiously to think of the best way to excuse herself. "Well, it was nice seeing you again Danny," she settled on, "But I've got to be goin-"

"Lola said you've been ignoring her calls." Danny cut in, causing Claudine to exhale a curt sigh and removing her face from Danny's direction.

"Have I?" Claudine attempted to sound off-hand, but even Danny could tell she was lying. "I've just been busy, that's all," Claudine continued, realising Danny wasn't about to settle for another of her lies, "You know how it is."

"Well, you fancy meeting up later?" Danny asked, all other thoughts flying out or the window, speaking before his brain realised exactly what he'd just said.

"Dan-" Claudine began, not wanting to let Danny down, but equally not wanting to have to face everyone again - not yet. Maybe not ever.

"Just.. Just us two. Please?" Danny asked, trying to sound nonchalant. Claudine managed a small smile but was still reluctant to agree. "For half hour, literally. You have my word."

Danny's grin won her over and Claudine agreed. "Okay, fine. Er, 8 o'clock on Bramwell Road?"

"I'll be there" Danny nodded, and Claudine smiled, quickly disappearing back into the crowds.


	2. Friday Night

A/N: Chapter title taken for the song 'Friday Night' by Lily Allen.

* * *

"Mum, where's my bag? The black one?" Claudine rooted around the lounge frantically to no avail. No answer came and Claudine ran up the stairs, two at a time, to find her mother who was spark out asleep in the middle of her bed. Closing the door, Claudine ran back down the stairs, wrote a note to her mum and was about to leave the house (minus black bag) until she caught her reflection.

This time there was no covering it up with sunglasses - the blue bruising under her right eye was as clear as day. Suddenly having second thoughts, Claudine reached for her phone when it buzzed in her hand, making her jump.

**You still coming?**

**- D x**

There was no going back now Claudine decided. If she backed out now, it'd only make things worse. Grabbing her purse and securing her phone in her back pocket, she made for Bramwell Road, arms wrapped around her body. This was going to be it.

*****

"Hey Claud-" Danny stopped short upon seeing her eye. "Claudine," he finished quickly, drawing his attention away from her face. "You alright?"

"Danny, it's a black eye. I'm sure you've seen one before." This was the Claudine that Danny remembered and nodded, affirming that he had indeed seen a black eye before.

"How'd you.." Danny began before trailing off. For one reason or another, Claudine had been avoiding them all, and Danny was trying his best to be as sensitive as possible.

"Ran into a door, you know what I'm like." Claudine cleared her throat softly, smoothing down the creases in her top.

"Is that why you haven't wanted to meet us?" Danny asked, handing Claudine his jacket after noticing goosebumps erupt on her bare arms. "Too many questions and stuff?"

"Yeah," Claudine felt the lie slip out, before she had chance to think. Still, it put Danny off the scent and was a feasible excuse for the time being. "Something like that."

"But I've seen it now; you can come and hang out with us again. The others won't even bat an eyelid." Danny sounded sincere as he spoke, Claudine watching and waiting for the laughter the appear and the joke to be on her. "The 'BH Gang' isn't the same without you," Danny added, coughing once unnecessarily to avoid Claudine's gaze. "I'm always the odd one out now," Danny continued, Claudine laughing as he spoke.

"You were _always_ the odd one out Dan," Claudine commented, beginning to walk down the road, hinting at Danny to walk too.

"Yeah but," Danny paused quickly to catch up with Claudine, "It's different now. Lola and Lauren are always off shopping and BB and Jez are tight, you know? Then there's me, _all_ on my own."

Danny pulled the saddest face he could, but instead of provoking sympathy, Claudine just laughed. "Danny, don't you think you're taking this to heart just a little too much?"

"Maybe," Danny grinned, shrugging his shoulders, "But if you were to come back, then I'd have someone too."

"Why don't we go to a restaurant?" Claudine said suddenly, steering the conversation away from places she didn't want to go. "Grab a bite to eat?"

"Yeah, of course." Danny admitted defeat, deciding he'd pressed Claudine enough for now.

*

".. and then Lola went and asked if it was really true!" Claudine peeled off into ripples of laughter, Danny grinning at her as her eyes twinkled under the restaurant's dim lighting. The lighting more or less covered her bruising, of which Claudine was thankful - for the first time in ages, she could go back to living how she used to. Tonight, she was happy and carefree, and it made Danny realise how much he'd missed her.

"I've missed you, you know," Danny said quietly, once Claudine's laughter had subsided.

"No, you haven't," Claudine affirmed. "You've missed the attention; mine and Lauren's, fighting over you all year."

"Well yeah that too," Danny winked, "But I really have missed you. I know I was a bit of a prat last year, but we had some good times, right?"

"We did," Claudine nodded. "And you were more than a bit of a prat Danny; you were the biggest prat on campus."

Danny smiled sheepishly, muttering a soft. "Sorry."

"Danny, you were forgiven a long time ago, by both me and Lauren."

"So then, everything's fine?"

"Yeah," Claudine lied, "Everything's fine. Shall we pay?"

Claudine motioned to Danny to attract the waiter's attention and ask him for the bill. Splitting it in half, they paid and left, without much talking involved.

As they walked down the streets, now dimly lit by the odd street lamp and the pale glow of the moon, Claudine handed Danny's jacket back to him.

"Keep it," Danny pushed it back into her arms, but Claudine looked at him sceptically. "I didn't mean forever Claudine, this wasn't some sort of romantic gesture."

Claudine blushed, proving to Danny that this was indeed what Claudine had assumed it was.

"I meant just keep it for tonight, you'll get cold walking home in this air."

"Won't you?" Claudine asked, the blush still evident on her cheeks.

"Nah, I'm too hot to get cold," Danny said with a wink, nudging Claudine on the arm in the process. She grinned and rolled her eyes, appreciatively placing his jacket back on her body.

"Could your head actually get any bigger?"

"Maybe," Danny grinned, placing an arm around Claudine's shoulders. She tensed momentarily, exhaled and then relaxed, so Danny left it there. " A few compliments from you now and again would do the trick."

Claudine felt Danny nude her again and she laughed. "I don't do compliments," Claudine pointed out, "Only on vary rare occupations."

"Like?" Danny probed with a smirk, finally feeling Claudine had relaxed enough to talk freely.

"Like on birthdays. Possibly Christmas. That sort of thing," she nodded and Danny rolled his eyes.

"God, you're hard work!" Danny said in mock exasperation. "Give a guy a break sometime. Might do you good."

"I doubt it," Claudine grinned, "If all guys are like you Danny, I'd rather steer clear."

"Now I'm just hurt," Danny pouted, stopping Claudine on the street and tickling her until she cried out an apology. Danny realised, as they stopped under one of the very few working street lamps, that he'd hardly seen Claudine laugh this much in the whole year he'd know her. Smiling, they continued walking, until this time, Claudine stopped them.

"Danny, you don't live anywhere near here. I'll be fine walking the rest of the way home on my own," Claudine protested, before adding, "Honest."

"And what sort of gentleman would that make me? It's fine Claudine, I don't mind," Danny informed her. Claudine sighed, discovering Danny wasn't about to give in and braced herself for the moment Danny met her mum. They walked the rest of the way in silence, Danny's arm firmly resting around Claudine's waist this time. As they arrived at her house, Claudine fished for her keys whilst Danny took a seat on the wall, watching her curiously.

"Thanks, you know, for tonight," Claudine smiled as Danny walked up in front of her and placed both hands either side of her waist. "I enjoyed it."

"So did I," Danny replied, his eyes solely focused on hers. He pulled her in for a quick hug, gave her a peck on the cheek and walked up the street, off in the darkness. Claudine sighed a breath of relief and entered the house, only to be confronted with something she didn't want to have to face.


	3. Reunion?

"Where the _hell_ have you been?" The shouting had already started, with Claudine only just entering the house. It still made her jump, even though she should have been used to it by now.

"Out," Claudine replied feebly, "I left you a note."

"As if that's an excuse, you _pathetic_ child! You've got responsibilities now, you can't go swanning off when you feel like it."

"Sorry," Claudine's voice emerged only as a whisper, "I didn't -"

"You didn't what?! Think?! Know?! That's the thing with you Serene-"

"Claudine," Claudine inputted softly, her eyes falling to the floor, her phone twisting in her hands. It wasn't that she was nervous - or so she told herself - more on-edge than anything. Life was just easier without any arguments.

"Claudine," her mum wafted her hand around, refuting her mistake. "That's just the thing. You never think. That pretty little head of yours is empty."

Claudine tensed as her mum marched towards her, eyes squinted and hands outstretched. She grabbed Claudine's head roughly and knocked hard on it.

"See? Nothing in there, is there? Hellooo?!" Claudine could tell her mum was completely out of it.

"Mum, you're drunk," Claudine sighed, taking hold of her mum under the arms and guiding her over to the sofa. "Again."

"Shut it!" Claire - Claudine's mum - slurred viciously. Claudine brushed it off, until a small cry from upstairs disturbed them both. "Shut that thing up, now!" Claire grabbed Claudine's arm tightly as Claudine winced at the pain. Claudine nodded frantically until her mum released her arm and went running up the stairs, phone in hand, shutting the door fast behind her.

The crying subsided as Claudine switched the light on and walked over to the window, shutting it softly. Walking back to the door, she fastened the lock and took a seat in the middle of her double bed. From the other side of the room, a toddler waddled over and clambered onto the bed, resting her head on Claudine's lap. The only sound to be heard was the soft sucking from the toddler's dummy as Claudine sat in silence, stroking the toddler's head in soft, soothing motions.

*

Claudine sat still until the toddler had fallen asleep. Gently removing herself from underneath, she slipped across to the door, undid the latch and quietly descended the stairs. Her mum was fast asleep on the sofa, drink still in hand. Claudine sighed and traipsed into the kitchen, not daring to even breathe in case her mum woke up. Upon reaching the cupboards, she grabbed as much food as she could, several empty baby bottles, tea towels and as many tins of baby food she could carry. Quickly running up the stairs, Claudine's heart lurched into her stomach as one tin dropped with a crash, and fell all the way down the stairs.

Her mum shifted on the sofa but thankfully, didn't wake. Claudine sighed a breath of relief and ran the last few steps before diving into her room. She placed all the contents from her arms in one bag before picking up another and returning back downstairs. This time, she searched until she found what it was she was specifically looking for - alcohol. Any bottles or cans she found got chucked straight in the bag which was then chucked straight into the bin. Sighing a weary sigh, Claudine returned upstairs, changed into her pyjamas and snuggled into bed beside the little girl, holding her close.

Just as she was about to drift off, her phone buzzed from beneath her pillow. Retrieving it, she saw upon the screen it was a text from Danny.

**Thanks for 2night. It was good (:  
****We're all going to the beach 2morrow.  
****Want to come??  
****Danny x x**

Claudine didn't know what made her feel so overwhelmed, but before she knew it, a single tear dropped from her eye and onto her knees, which were pulled up close, tight to her chest. Wiping her eyes before anymore could escape, she pressed reply and typed out a message.

**Sorry, can't. Working tomorrow.  
****Maybe another time? Promise.  
****X**

Claudine read and re-read the text before pressing send. Stroking the bruise beneath her eye as she looked over her arm to see if another one had appeared, Claudine's phone buzzed again.

**Ah cool. No worries.  
****Hope to see u soon.  
****We all do. ****Love Danny boy ;) x**

Claudine wanted to laugh at Danny's message, but something wouldn't let her. Instead, she placed her phone back under her pillow and closed her eyes, drifting off into a deep sleep. The trouble was, her dreams were never that far away from reality.


End file.
